


What did you just say?!

by NewObsessed



Series: Reimagining Riverdale [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 1x04 rewrite, F/M, Fix-It, barchie fighting, other characters - but only briefly, what should have happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26155375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewObsessed/pseuds/NewObsessed
Summary: "She believed in me when no one else did.""You did not just say that...""Archie..." Veronica warns."I believed in you!"__Basically just my idea of how that scene in 1x4 should have gone down.
Relationships: Archie Andrews & Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper
Series: Reimagining Riverdale [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891777
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	What did you just say?!

**Author's Note:**

> So it irks me that Archie said that about Miss Grundy to Betty and Betty just... said nothing. So I rewrote the scene. Enjoy!

Betty is silent as she sits in a booth at Pop's with Jughead, Kevin and Veronica while Jughead rants about the closing of the drive-in. She tries to look like she's listening, but really she's thinking about the news Dilton dropped on them regarding Miss Grundy, and how it's linked to Archie.

She hears her name and looks up quickly, realising she's expected to respond.

"Totally." she says, thought she has no idea what she's agreeing to.

Veronica gives her a strange look, knowing that there's something going on with Betty Cooper. Betty suddenly become entranced by her strawberry milkshake hoping to avoid eye contract with the brunette bombshell, sticking her finger in the cream and licking said digit. She continues to distractedly play with the glass in front of her while the conversation continues around her.

Talk turns to closing night and ideas for what final movie to screen is thrown around.

"Or The Talented Mr Ripley." Kevin suggests. "Betty, your choices?"

Betty looks up, once again startled from her thoughts of Archie and Miss Grundy and Sweetwater River.

"Everything okay B?" Veronica asks, concerned with Betty's odd behaviour.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm just thinking." Betty nods quickly. "Maybe, Rebel Without A Cause?"

Jughead smiles at her and Betty returns the sentiment before returning her focus back to her oh so interesting milkshake. The group continue to make small talk about the drive in and school, while Veronica gets up to deal with a situation between her mum and Cheryl. As Veronica returns the bell on the front door chimes with new arrivals.

  
"Now that's an odd combo of people." Kevin comments and Betty turns to look at who just entered. Her jaw drops as she sees Archie with his dad and Miss Grundy.

"I'll be right back." Betty decides as she gets up to leave. Jughead reaches for her, but she is quickly out of reach.

"Betty, no. Don't..." Jughead tries. Kevin and Veronica watch her leave, both confused as to what suddenly happened.

Betty approaches the booth just as Archie, Fred and Miss Grundy are taking their seats. She smiles politely and says hello before asking Archie if she can talk to him.

"Sure. I'll call you later?" Archie tells her, hoping he can avoid leaving.

"No actually now. Just school stuff." Betty insists. "Outside."

She tilts her head at the front door. Archie throws a look at Miss Grundy before getting up and following Betty out of the diner.

"Archie, as your best friend is there anything you want to tell me?" Betty turns and asks, giving him the chance to come clean.

Archie looks at her confused. "I don't think so."

Betty sighs and takes a deep breath. She blurts it out, like ripping off a band-aid.

"Miss Grundy was at Sweetwater River on July 4th."

Archie's face drops. How does Betty know that?

"Were you with her?" She continues.

Archies pauses. Oh shit.

"Did Jughead tell you?"

Betty looks at him shocked. "Jughead knows about this?"

Archie sighs and looks around, avoiding eye contact. Betty crosses her arms, waiting for him to answer her.

"He may have seen us in the music room. But it's not what you're thinking." Archie tells her.

"So it's platonic." Betty states, though it'd clear she wouldn't believe him if he said it was.

"Okay well maybe its a little like what you're thinking."

"Archie!" Betty exclaims. "Are you and Miss Grundy like, together? Like romantically?"

Archie sighs frustrated. How did this become so complicated?

"Oh my god." Archie turns as he hears Veronica's voice. She walks over to them. "You and your music teacher are having an affair?"

"We are... together." Archie finally admits. "Look I know that sounds bad, but..."

"Bad?" Veronica interrupts. "It sounds scandalous."

"Sounds like jail time to me. Illegal!" Betty cries.

"Betty don't go there." Archie begs.

"Oh well I'm already there." Betty argues.

"Ronnie a little help here?" Archie pleads, not used to being on the wrong side of Betty.

Veronica puts her hands up, like she's surrendering. "Don't pull me into this Archiekins. Betty's right."

"Thank you." Betty throws her hands up in triumph and Archie runs a hand through his ginger locks. He suddenly feels like he's being ganged up on.

"What is Grundy to you anyway? Your girlfriend? Your booty tutor?" Veronica asks him. Archie cringes at the terms, and shakes his head.

"I don't know. I don't know what to call her." He shrugs.

"You lied to Sherriff Keller. To all of us." Betty accuses. "What, for her? Why are you trying to protect her?" She asks him.

Archie is quick to answer "She believed in me when no one else did."

Betty's jaw drops. "You did not just say that..."

"Archie..." Veronica warns, seeing the flash of hurt cross Betty's face before quickly being replaced with fire in her eyes.

"I believed in you!" Betty shouts, stepping closer and poking him in the chest.

"I never said you didn't!" Archie argues, taking a step towards her.

"You just said that Miss Grundy was the only one who believed in you." Betty points out with another poke to Archie's chest, putting her even closer to him and now there's hardly a space between them.

Archie shakes his head vehemently. "Don't put words in my mouth. That is not what I said."

"You kind of did." Veronica mutters quietly. Archie throws a small glare in her direction. Veronica points over her shoulder at the diner.

"I'm just gonna..." before slowly walking away, her heels clicking on the pavement.

"Archie do you even know anything about her?" Betty questions, pointing to the diner where Miss Grundy currently sits.

"I know she's a good person, and she likes me."

"Oh and I'm not? I don't?" Betty rolls her eyes.

"God, stop putting words in my mouth." Archie lifts his head to the sky, frustrated. With Betty. With himself. With this conversation.

"Arch, she showed up out of nowhere. How do you know she's actually a teacher, or if that's even her real name?" Betty persists.

"Betty stop. I don't care." Archie closes his eyes, ignoring her words. "I don't care about any of that. What Geraldine and I have is real."

Betty laughs but it's without humour. Not even close to her normal bubbly laugh. "First name basis. How romantic."

Archie sighs loudly.

"Before school started I told you that I thought it was amazing that you found music. That I would have loved to hear your songs." Betty tells him.

"But it was more than that." He explains. "She taught me about music. Made it make sense. She helped me write songs. You even suggested I ask her to tutor me."

Betty reaches out, softly uncurling Archie's hands which are balled into tight fists at his sides.

"God Arch not like that." Betty whispers. "I would have helped you."

"But you weren't here!" Archie explodes, ripping his hands away. Archie immediately softens when he sees the tears well up in Betty's eyes.

"Betty..." Archie tries, reaching out to her but she takes a step back from him and wraps her arms around herself. Shutting herself off. Protecting herself. From him.

"Betty, say something. Please."

She just shakes her head in response, refusing to even look at him. Archie opens his mouth to say something more but is interrupted by a car horn, and Mrs Cooper pulling up in the station wagon.

"Get in the car Elizabeth. Now." she calls out the car window, looking at Archie with distaste.

Betty simply shrugs at Archie's pleading look and turns to get in the car.

"What have I told you about - " Alice starts.

"Can we just go?" Betty interrupts.

Archie's face is filled with regret as he watches the taillights disappear into the night.


End file.
